Catching up: sake goes strong

by | May 22, 2018 | Sake News from Japan

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The J-Cast Trend site reports on a trend towards stronger sake, seen in a new product from the large Konishi brewery in Hyogo.

Noting that beer and chūhai have already seen alcohol content creep up, the site points to the same phenomenon starting to happen with sake.

The new Shirayuki Tanrei Karakuchi Strong will be available in a 180 ml ice coffee-style cup with lid or a 1.8 L waxed card pack (think fruit juice containers in Europe), and is scheduled to hit the shelves from 6 June.

Previous products with the Shirayuki label have had an alcohol content of at most 15-16%, but the Strong version will be 16-17%. It’s also supposed to have robust flavour with a sharp finish. It has no added sugars or acidifiers, and with a nihonshudo (sake meter value) of +2 is on the dry side.

The 180 ml cup will retail for JPY 170 and the 1.8 L pack for JPY 1,080 (before tax).

 

 

Having just done a sake tasting with mostly genshu in the 19-21% range, I’m kind of wondering what the fuss is about. Just marketing and trying to look different in a crowded market?

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